A British national suspected of leading an organised crime network has been arrested at an airport in Bali, Indonesian police say, in a coordinated operation involving law enforcement agencies from several countries.
Steven Lyons, 45, was detained at Ngurah Rai International Airport on 28 March 2026 at around 11:58 local time, shortly after arriving in Indonesia. The arrest was carried out by a joint team comprising the International Relations Division (Divhubinter) of the Indonesian National Police, the Bali Regional Police, and local immigration officials.
He is currently being held at the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Bali Regional Police pending deportation proceedings.
“Through the NCB Interpol Indonesia Secretariat, the International Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police has successfully apprehended a high-profile international fugitive by the name of Steven Lyons,” Brigadier General Untung Widyatmoko, Secretary of the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol Indonesia, told reporters on Tuesday.
Lyons is listed on Interpol’s Red Notice system under control number A-4908/3-2026, issued on 26 March 2026, just two days before his arrest.
Tip-Off from Abu Dhabi Triggered the Interception
Indonesian authorities have confirmed that the arrest was the direct result of rapid and precise international intelligence sharing. NCB Interpol Indonesia received a notification from NCB Abu Dhabi alerting them that a Red Notice subject was traveling towards Indonesia, prompting an immediate response.
“This success began with a fast and precise exchange of intelligence. NCB Interpol Indonesia received notification from NCB Abu Dhabi regarding the movement of a Red Notice subject heading to Indonesia. Based on that information, Divhubinter immediately took interception measures and coordinated intensively with the Bali Regional Police and Immigration,” Widyatmoko said.
Armed with advanced intelligence that Lyons was travelling aboard a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Denpasar, NCB Interpol Indonesia coordinated with Bali Airport Police and local immigration officials to intercept him on arrival. Lyons was detained without resistance.
Part of a Wider International Operation
The arrest forms part of Operation Armorum, an international law enforcement operation led by the Central Operative Unit (UCO)–ECO Málaga of Spain’s Guardia Civil, with the participation of Police Scotland, Turkish authorities, the United Arab Emirates, Interpol, Europol, and NCB Interpol Indonesia, all working in concert to dismantle Lyons’ alleged criminal organisation.
The day before the Bali arrest, simultaneous raids across Europe resulted in the detention of a further 45 individuals allegedly linked to the network, 33 in Scotland and 12 in Spain. Lyons, meanwhile, was tracked fleeing to Indonesia, where authorities were already waiting.
In a further sign of the operation’s international coordination, two officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil arrived in Bali on Monday, 30 March, to liaise directly with Indonesian authorities on the technical arrangements for Lyons’ repatriation to Europe.
The Lyons Crime Family
Lyons, a British national born on 3 December 1980, is alleged to be the leader of the Lyons Crime Family, a Scotland-based organised crime network suspected of controlling large-scale narcotics trafficking and money laundering operations running from Spain into the United Kingdom.
Investigators allege that Lyons directed transnational criminal activities between 2020 and 2026, maintaining operational networks across the United Kingdom and Spain. He is further suspected of using shell companies to conceal illicit funds, and of communicating through encrypted platforms, including EncroChat and Sky ECC, to manage illegal logistics and financial flows.
Authorities identified what they described as millions of euros in proceeds allegedly derived from criminal activity, moved through hawala transfer networks, property investments, and cryptocurrency transactions designed to obscure their origin. Several properties in Fuengirola, Málaga, are reported to have been registered under company names to prevent asset identification by investigators.
Indonesia Sends a Clear Message
Widyatmoko said the arrest carried significance beyond its operational outcome, describing it as a demonstration of Indonesia’s firm stance against transnational organised crime.
“This arrest is not only an operational success, but it is also a firm message that Indonesia will not be a safe haven for international organised crime,” he said.
Indonesian authorities have confirmed that Lyons will be deported promptly to face legal proceedings in Europe. The decision reflects Indonesia’s broader commitment to international law enforcement cooperation, with the National Police facilitating the Guardia Civil’s on-the-ground coordination to ensure a smooth handover process.
